We tested the Orbi 370 Series three-pack, which is designed for large homes and provides coverage of up to 6,000 square feet. For smaller spaces, the two-pack covers 4,000 square feet and goes for $249.99. For even larger spaces, the $449.99 four-pack gives you 8,000 square feet of coverage. Individual satellite nodes cost $149.99 each and cover up to 2,000 square feet.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The three-pack comes with a router node and two satellite nodes. At first glance, they look identical, but the router node’s rear panel has two 2.5GbE Ethernet ports (WAN and LAN) while the satellite nodes have only a single 2.5GbE LAN port, which you can use for wired backhaul or to connect to other network devices. In comparison, the eero Pro 7 nodes are equipped with a pair of 5GbE Ethernet ports. Sharing space on the rear panel are the Sync and Reset buttons, as well as a power jack. As with most mesh systems, the 370 Series lacks USB ports.
The Orbi nodes have a white finish, stand 8 inches high, and are 4.7 inches deep and 2.9 inches wide. A small LED indicator at the bottom of the router flashes white during startup and then goes dark when everything is connected and working correctly. It is solid magenta when it has lost internet connectivity, and is solid white when the node is being reset to its factory default settings. The satellite node LED pulses white during startup and pulses blue for 3 minutes when the node is connected before going dark.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
The Orbi 370 is a dual-band system that offers 2.4GHz and 5GHz transmissions, but it lacks a 6GHz radio band and therefore does not support 320MHz channels. It’s a BE5000 system that can hit maximum (combined) data rates of up to 5Gbps and is powered by a 1.5GHz quad-core processor, 512MB of flash memory, and 1GB of RAM.
This system uses the same mobile app as previous Orbi systems, including the Orbi 770 Series and the Orbi 970 Series. It can also be managed using a web console, which offers additional settings, including port forwarding, port triggering, and static routing.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)
You’ll have to pay extra for parental control and network security software. Netgear’s Parental Control subscription costs $7.99 per month and lets you manage user profiles, monitor internet activity, block access to specific websites, and schedule internet downtime. Netgear’s Armor network security software is $99.99 per year and protects all your connected devices, as well as up to 50 mobile devices, from virus infections and other malware attacks. It also gives you 24/7 tech support and an extended three-year warranty. The $149.99 Armor Plus plan adds unlimited VPN, ad-blocking, and anti-tracking tools.
When you open the mobile app, you’ll see a dashboard screen with a picture of the router node, the name of the network, and the number of installed satellites. Tapping the router opens a network map, and tapping any node lets you see which devices are connected to that node.
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(Credit: Netgear)
Several tiles positioned below the router picture offer easy access to various settings and utilities. The Device Manager allows you to view all connected devices, including their IP and MAC addresses, as well as the node to which they are connected. The Internet Speed tile lets you run a speed test to determine upload and download speeds. The Wi-Fi settings tile is where you edit the network password and share Wi-Fi credentials using a QR code. Other tiles include Guest Wi-Fi, Network Map, Traffic Meter, Parental Controls, and Security & Support.
